Two of my indoor plants--Colocasia esculenta and Zebra plant Aphelandra squarrosa--both have red spider mites. I noticed webs on both of the plants but didn't think twice about it until some of the leaves on the Colocasia started turning brown around the edges. Tonight I sprayed both plants with pyrethins as a first step. After many hours of reading about miticides and red spider mites, it seems people can't agree on an effective treatment. I have 3 cats so I'm trying to stay away from harsh chemicals unless I have no other choice. What is the best way to deal with these little killers?
How do you get rid of red spider mites?
If you don't want harsh chemicals like Avid you could take the plants outside and blast the back of each leaf with a jet spray of water. Joelle
You might find a recipe using ingredients found around the house, in this thread, that will help you with the mites.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/423312/
By the way...don't feel alone. This is one pest I'd love to see totally disappear. It can be such a pain in the rear, especially when plants are in the house and it is hard to spray with the big guns. I sometimes put plants in my tub and use the hand held shower to rinse them off. It doesn't get rid of them, but it sure cuts back on numbers.
I took the zebra plant and blasted it with the showerhead. Luckily it is detachable and also has good water pressure. After blasting both the top and bottoms of the leaves, I sprayed "neem oil" on the top and bottom of all leaves. I'll do that once a week for 4 weeks (directions from the nursery where I bought the plant). I hope it works. Has anyone else had experience with spider mites and neem oil.
Looking at my other plants in that room, I noticed my Alocasia "Frydek" also has red spider mites. With mom-in-law coming this week, I didn't want to spray multiple plants with neem oil due to the odor as she will be sleeping in the same room. To deal with the mites in the meantime, I sprayed the other two plants with a spray that has pyrethins and vegetable oil.
Emily try this .... totally organic and it works.
I rely on this every winter ...............
Fast , Easy and Effective ...........
Horticultural Oil Recipe
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 C. Soy or Cottonseed oil
1 Tbsp. liquid soap
Shake well to emulsify.
Use: 1 - 1 1/2 tsp. per Cup of Water to spray.........Below 85 Degrees temp.
Mites,scales,psylia,mealybugs & some caterpillars
................... Edited to add .........
I use this on house and garden plants and in the veggie garden ;-D
Thanks, scooterbug, How often do you spray your plants with this solution? The two sprays I have used are both strong and stinky, not to mention have burned the young leaves of my Colocasia plant.